Date set for ‘172s’ to finish LO duties

The remaining six Class 172/0s in traffic with London Overground are due to come off-lease on December 31, according to the Barking-Gospel Oak Rail User Group.

Eight two-car diesel multiple units should have been replaced by fourcar Class 710/2 electric multiple units by now. However, software faults have delayed the introduction of the EMUs ( RAIL 866). Currently six EMUs have been delivered to Willesden for testing.

The DMUs are sub-leased from West Midlands Trains, and are due to enter traffic with WMT from May once they have been fitted with toilets. Two have so far left London Overground (172002/006), with the remaining sets to follow once the ‘710s’ are in traffic.

Transport for London says the EMUs will enter traffic in the second half of December. However, this situation has left just six Class 172s to cover six rostered duties. TfL has been running buses and cancelling services at weekends in order to carry out maintenance on 172001/003-005/007/008.